Mass of Thanksgiving - Father André Sicard

Intermountain Catholic

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Father André Sicard celebrated his first Mass as a priest on July 1 at his home parish, St. Therese of the Child Jesus Catholic Church in Midvale; he is shown singing as he processes from the church at the end of Mass.

Father André Sicard celebrated his first Mass as a priest on July 1 at his home parish, St. Therese of the Child Jesus Catholic Church in Midvale. Among the concelebrants were Monsignori Joseph M. Mayo and M. Francis Mannion, retired priests of the diocese who are both celebrating 50 years of the priesthood this year. Other concelebrants included Fr. Hernando Diaz, another retired priest of the diocese, and several of Fr. Sicard’s seminary classmates. The homily was given in English by Fr. Martin Diaz, rector of the Cathedral of the Madeleine and former pastor at St. Therese; Fr. José Barrera, the parish’s current pastor, gave the homily in Spanish. In his comments following the Mass, Fr. Sicard became emotional as he thanked the congregation, saying that he would not have become a priest without their prayers and support. “The most memorable aspect of my first Mass was looking out into the church and seeing the joy and excitement of so many people who support and have walked with me in my journey of faith. It was a very humbling and consoling moment,” he said in an interview.